# Grocery store cigar selections...?



## A Midnight Maduro (Dec 29, 2011)

So I have no local tobacconists around here and no smoke shops even. The best I can do other than ordering online is the local grocery store. Two of the local stores carry a small selection of cigars. Both stores keep their sticks in humidors.

Here is the catch. Most of the cigars have probably sat in their humidors for who knows how long. (not necessarily a bad thing). I had a bad experience at one of the stores. I bought a going away stick for my brother about a year ago and it had mold. I exchanged it for a non moldy one, but that would be a hint that their humi is too humid. I haven't shopped there since. Their hygro is positioned in such a way you can't read it. 

The other store has a small but good looking selection, with two hygrometers. Both hygro's read around 72.6% Would you be comfortable buying from this store with a hygro reading that kind of number? 

Note: I doubt that either store has much of a clue about properly storing cigars, so who knows what kind of conditions the humis have seen.


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## HugSeal (Dec 5, 2011)

Noticed I rambled alot. For tl:dr just read the last paragraph

They don't sell cigars in ordinary grocery stores where I live but you can buy some in kioskes(is that even a word?). Not a great selection, usually some guantanameras and a RyJ PC or something along those lines.

The problem is that they generally have no idea about humidor maintenance and just tosses the sticks in and consider themselves done(RH of <40% pretty much...). the opposite of your exerience but still bad 

I've even seen places with humidors with a huge crack in the glass where you could stick in a pen if you wanted to. Not the greatest way of keeping sticks in good condition.

I also just noticed that I simply rambled away without answering your question...

A humi at 72%+ most probably humidified by an "oasis-sponge" where the cigars have sat for ages is not a place I would want to shop at. My advice would be to order online or to check out the WTS-forum here on puff after you get access to it.


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## joshuarodger (Jun 20, 2012)

you may want to check your local liquor stores. oftentimes they can have a decent selection of cigars.

I don't think a humi at 72.6 is _terrible._ I would buy a cigar there if there were no evidence of mold. a lot of hygrometers can be off by as much as 4%. buy the cigar, let it rest in your humidor and smoke it a couple weeks after you buy it.


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## A Midnight Maduro (Dec 29, 2011)

Bjorn - Kind of what I was thinking myself. You called it too, they do use oasis foam :nono: 

Josh - If I ever do make a purchase from there, good call on letting them acclimate in my humi.


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## HugSeal (Dec 5, 2011)

About the hygro you couldn't see. Can you ask them to show it to you? The one that kept it on 72 seems like they atleast care to keep it hydrated. It might bethat they just don't know what the correct RH should be, you could always try to talking to one of them and give them some pointers.

You benefit from it and they will too


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## volpow61 (May 22, 2012)

I agree +1


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## A Midnight Maduro (Dec 29, 2011)

Good call, next time im in the stores ill try to give them a few tips on storage. The one that read 72 really looked like it had some nice sticks, so at least who ever is stocking it knows their selections.


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## kapathy (Nov 20, 2010)

Will have you tried yelp or something of that nature? You might have a B&M pretty close to you, sometimes they are just a little hidden.


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## A Midnight Maduro (Dec 29, 2011)

Kevin, nope I haven't! Ill have to give it a shot. I live on an Whidbey Island in Wa. I am sure there are some B&M's close by, but I have to take a ferry off the island lol. We do have a little tobacco store on the island close by but they specialize in "roll your own" cigarettes, and pipe tobacco.

Next time I take a trip in to the city ill have to take a peek at the shops down there.


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## ghe-cl (Apr 9, 2005)

Just curious. If you live on Whidbey why does your profile say Ellensburg? Isn't that near Yakima?


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## dayento2 (May 12, 2012)

Nothing on the island but here are a few places


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## A Midnight Maduro (Dec 29, 2011)

ghe, I live in Ellensburg most of the year because of College, then come back to Whidbey for the summer. Yes sir, Ellensburg is about 45 min from Yakima I believe.

David, Sweet. I knew there was some shops off the Island that are close by. Ill have to give these a look next time im out that way. That darn ferry puts a kink in everything. Costs 20 bucks round trip to take your car across, then you never know how long the wait line is to come back. Could easily be 3 hours haha. However, that is what makes Whidbey a nice. It's a small town kind of feel here.


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